Tag: Art 2016

Now open at Dathúil Gallery, curated by Max Butoh and Lυcy (LucyDiam0nd), is a display of art by Mi (Kissmi), entitled Overviews. In some ways, it’s a curious exhibit, comprising 20 very large format pieces, together with an assortment of posters and 3D items. However, as one spends time within it, so the artist’s approach falls into place.

“To make and exhibition is much more than to show my images,” Mi says of the display. “It is also to have a project, to think about it, to build it, to share with others and it making sense.
Every look on our work is a particular look, and obviously interesting. I don’t pretend to be an artist, I am just a sensitive person who likes to create images. My exhibition at Dathúil is named Overviews because it is a panel of pictures showing abstracts and more realistic topics.”

The more abstract pieces Mi refers to can be seen on the mezzanine level of the gallery, where current installations by Livio Korobose (The joy Formidable) and Boefje (Bufje) (Ephemeral) are represented with six impressions by MI apiece. The bold colours used within these images offer a striking contrast to, and interpretation of, the two exhibits which inspired them – something I found to be particularly true with the images of Ephemeral, which is otherwise a predominantly white installation.

It is also with regards to these two installations Mi used as her inspiration, that some of the additional elements within the exhibition space align. The two large paper aeroplanes by Livio, for example, point our attention to Mi’s interpretations of his exhibit, in which paper aeroplanes also appear. Similarly, the ladders, which can again be found within The Joy Formidable, present visitors with perches from which they can further appreciate the art. Meanwhile, the small field of flowers and the figurine placed before the images of Ephemeral stand as a physical link to that installation.

However, I confess to finding these sets of images somewhat overpowering – possibly in part due to their enormous size – they are by far the largest I’ve seen displayed at Dathúil, the layout of which perhaps isn’t the best for gaining a broader perspective of such enormous pieces. Instead, I found myself drawn more to the five images displayed on the ground floor of the gallery.

Equally large format, these benefit from being presented in a more enclosed space, thanks to the mezzanine area above. This gives them a more intimate presentation, which is ideally suited to their subject matter. All five, together with an additional pair of images on the mezzanine over the gallery’s entrance, offer scenes of a personal nature; moments of contemplation, reflection, and more, caught in a flick of frozen time, each as evocative as the name it has been given.

This is another exhibition where more than a casual glance is required; the images offered, upper and lower levels offer such diverse approaches in style and content, that Overviews could be taken to be two exhibitions in one, each offering a glimpse into Mi’s approach as a photographer and – despite her claim otherwise – an artist.

Overviews will remain open through until the end of November 2016.

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• Dathúil Gallery (Rated: Adult)

Softie Gallery, a part of the Black Label Exhibitions corner opened its doors on Saturday, November 5th with an ensemble exhibition featuring artists from across Second Life – including two who have not previously shown their own in-world in public before.

Organised by Storie’s Helendale (GlitterPrincess Destiny), Kristine Blackadder and AnnaFrancesca Helendale (AnnaFrancesca Kira), building on an idea by Storie’s, the three storey gallery space features work by Aldiladeisogni, Astralia, Bryn Oh, Catt Scorpio (cattivella), Cica Ghost, Ciottolina Zue, Eleseren Brianna, John Brianna (Johnannes 1977 Resident), Enrico Yamden, Judy Barton (mitla) LeMelonRouge Lil (Lilarya), Magda Schmidtzau, Mistero Hifeng, Poala Mills, Seersha Heart, Terrygold, Vangogh Rembranch and Stories herself. Joining them, and showing their art in-world in public for the first time, are Blip Mumfuzz and  MM Mysterr).

“I am excited because this gallery was empty so long a time,” Storie’s told me ahead of the opening as she gave me a preview of the exhibition. “I was honoured when so many artists said they would exhibit here, so now the gallery can live and breathe again!”

The gallery space is presented in black, offering a strong contrast to the 3D and 2D art on display. The latter leans strongly towards avatar studies in a range of complimentary styles: colour, monochrone, photo and painting; together with sculptures, real life art, one or two landscapes, to more abstract-like pieces, and real world,  all of which, combined with the 3D from four artists I greatly admire, makes for a fascinating mix of styles and presentation.

I understand the gallery is a permanent exhibit space for the artists, although they are going to be encouraged to rotate the art they place on display there.  Art installations focused on specific artists and / or ideas will continue to take place up in the air above the region. As such, I look forward to seeing how the various displays evolve over time.

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• Softie Galley (Eternal Possession, rated:  Moderate)

“This work is my acknowledgement of greed for material things of human kind which is so powerful that it is going to cost us our own existence,” Igor Ballyhoo states of his new installation, Tumor, now open at MetaLES. “This is not [an] effort to fight it, it is not made in least hope to change anything, it is just a recording of my observation of human society at this point.”

Across a flat, misted plain – reached via teleport of the region’s skyborne landing point – strange structures rise, strange cubic conifers, denuded of branches and leaves. Underfoot, square stepping-stones of brown earth vie with an oily, sludge-like morass pulsating around them, The glowing mist hovers above this, with closer examination revealing it to be sheets of a digital grid pattern which blurs this strange, almost alien landscape into a soft focus.

But none of this holds the attention for long. Across the region a massive steel pylon raises multiple arms splitting and branching over and again as they reach into the sky. It stands as the embodiment of a the great metal pylons which march across many countries of the world, feeding our insatiable need for energy. Even the metal arms, rising into pincer-like pairs which seem to pluck and pull at the ball of the Sun overhead, offer a further metaphor for our energy greed.

More of these grasping metal arms and fingers can be seen overhead, stretching out from the sides of huge structures rising into the sky. Their blocky forms shimmering in the sunlight and defying the eye to pick out details, they rise one atop the last like great drilling platforms, oblivious of the strange, denuded and oozing landscape below, topped by a strange gigantic cube of cubes.

As a statement and as an art installation, Tumor is a powerfully visual piece, underlined by its dedication to  Georgina Hope “Gina” Rinehart, climate change sceptic and CEO of Hancock Prospecting, a company which could be said to have questionable concerns over the environmental impact of its projects. It will remain open until the end of November. At the time of writing, it overlaps lanjran Choche’s photographic exhibition, 5Y Smoking, which can also be reached via teleport from the landing point.

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Tumor (MetaLES, rated Moderate)

On Sunday, October 16th, Holly Kai Park hosted the third in our join series Stories at the Park, run in partnership with Seanchai Library. It features stories and poems written about the art on display at each Art in the Park exhibitions read live in voice by the authors or members of Seanchai library.

Attending these sessions has always been fascinating for me. Writing is a passion, but the concept of encapsulating a story in just 100 words is something I find impossible to achieve. So, witnessing others do so and produce pieces with such incredible depth, and emotive power and range, always astonishes me.

Stories at the Park also offers a unique way in which the art on display at Holly Kai Park can be interpreted – through the words and eyes of others. For me, the stories and poems presented at each session never fail to open a whole new world of perception and narrative around a piece of art. And when there are two or three pieces written on the same piece, then the floodgates of thought and viewpoint are thrown wide.

The most recent event was no exception. In all, 32 stories and poems presented by the combined talents of three friends I admire very much: Caledonia Skytower, Trolley Trollop and R. Crap Mariner. The range of style and depth of interpretation of various pieces currently on display at the park was again captivating; laughter, tears and quite contemplation flowed through the session as stories were read and poems recited.  

Wyeth Remembered (Gates of Melancholy) beautifully brought to life in prose by Trolley Trollop

This event was also very personal for me, given I’m exhibiting at the park; I confess to being both curious and nervous about how (and even if) any of my photos might be expressed by others. But what I heard left me amazed and stunned by the richness of interpretation; I found myself smiling, nodding, laughing in delight, and  – in the case of one piece in particular, taking a tissue to watery eyes.

Thank you, Trolley, for your wonderful interpretation of  Wyeth Remembered, it beautifully reflects the narrative I had for the piece. so much so, that I now wish I’d given it the name which first came into my head: Absence. Thank you Cale and Crap for also bringing my images to life so evocatively; you have me by turns smiling, laughing and looking afresh at my own images as I read and listen to your words.

It’s fair to say that Stories at the Park started as something of an experiment cooked up by Caledonia and myself. Having now experienced the event from both sides of the isle, so to speak – audience member and exhibiting photographer – I’m more than ever convinced that the series offers a very unique way to appreciate art in-world, and also to gain familiarity with in-world storytelling. My thanks to all the artists participating in Art at the Park and to Seanchai Library for making these events possible.

Our next session, featuring a new line-up of artists, stories and verse will be on Sunday, November 20th, 2016 at 15:00 SLT; I hope you’ll mark it in your diaries and join us. In the meantime, please do hop over to the Holy Kai Blog, where you can read all of the stories and poems from October’s event, and please be sure to visit the exhibition in-world before it closes on Sunday, October 23rd, 2016.

Links Summary

• Art at the Park, Holly Kai Park (Holly Kai Estates, rated: Moderate)
• Stories at the Park, October, 2016
• Stories at the Park Index
• Seanchai Library